1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a webbing supporting device used in a seatbelt system for protecting an occupant in an emergency situation of a vehicle, for supporting an occupant restraining webbing on a vehicle body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A webbing supporting device uscd in a seatbelt system, for supporting an occupant restraining webbing on a vehicle body is provided on the intermediate portion, an end portion or the like of the webbing, and adapted to bring the webbing into a proper arrangement and to cause a vehicle body to support a tension generated in the webbing thereon to secure an occupant in a restrained state.
In the webbing supporting device of the type described, a supporting portion for supporting the intermediate portion, an end portion or the like is connected to a base portion, and, in general, the base portion is affixed to the vehicle body through a mounting bolt in a manner to be rotatable about the axis of the bolt. In consequence, the webbing supporting device is intentionally rotated about the axis of the bolt, or automatically rotated due to the tension of the webbing, so that a proper arrangement of the webbing can be obtained.
However, in the conventional webbing supporting device, the webbing supporting device can rotate only about the axis of the mounting bolt, whereby the range of webbing position adjustment is limited, so that a proper arrangement of the webbing should not necessarily be obtained. To obviate this disadvantage, heretofore, there has been adopted such a construction that a clearance is provided between the base portion and the mounting bolt, whereby the webbing supporting device is not limited in rotation to the rotation about the axis of the bolt. However, in the webbing supporting device thus improved, noises occur due to the clearance formed between the mounting bolt and the supporting portion during vibrations caused to the vehicle, and special parts are required to arrest the noises.